This demand can only be met by improving poultry health, welfare, productivity, and profitability

To achieve the above, veterinary leadership is essential

The required training to produce today’s poultry field veterinary leaders is not available in the vast majority of veterinary schools, even in developed countries.

The ESAVS proven approach to training veterinarians offers a learning strategy that allows optimal flexibility and options to meet the needs of veterinarians who want to develop or further improve their skills in poultry health and management.

Main objective: Poultry veterinarians must have a deep understanding of production, management, nutrition, health, diagnostics, prevention, and treatment of diseases (infectious or not). Consequently, the proposed learning program will focus on a series of objectives that will be covered in a three-level study program.

STUDY PROGRAMS

The concept of the WVEPAH is to provide complete training modules covering all aspects of poultry production. They include residential training courses and distance learning.
They are designed by professionals for professional, experts in poultry production, aiming at: broadening their knowledge base in the sectors of health, biosecurity and production but also seeking to validate their existing knowledge by obtaining official recognition of acquired competence by means of a university degree (diploma) globally validated by the OIE (for veterinarians only).
These intensive training programs are mainly based on information exchange among course masters and participants. They build upon real case studies and problem solving.

The participants are professionals in poultry production, graduated veterinarians or animal production scientists, only a few specific aspects of basic subjects (anatomy, physiology…) will be reviewed, the other aspects are assumed as already known. Online information will be available prior to the course to allow a knowledge update where necessary.

After participating in a training program, the participants have acquired a high level of competence allowing them to diagnose and to deal with the majority of problems in specific fields.

The WVEPAH course consists of lectures, discussions, demonstrations, case presentations, laboratory work and site visits. Workshops and daily review sessions contribute to the development of critical evaluation capacities of cases presented as a support.
Emphasis is given to the methods of obtaining specific information and how it is used for self-learning purposes and clinical work.
The core of the training program is composed of 2 or 3 residential modules. The duration of the modules is 10 days each. Distance learning material for the year between two modules is distributed via a secret Facebook group also serving as an information exchange forum between the participants and the course masters.

The classical recruitment conditions are: a university degree in veterinary medicine, agronomical education in animal production validated by a university diploma, participation in training courses in specific fields and a professional activity in the poultry sector.

The efficiency of the training is guaranteed by a limited number of participants and theoretical training not exceeding 4 hours a day. The remaining time is reserved for case solving exercises or practical workshops.
Teaching is provided by tutors (course masters), internationally recognized experts in their field with proven educational skills. The course masters are responsible for the scientific contents as well as for the teaching of the courses.

In the period between two residential courses participants will receive information from their course masters and question the group about their own cases.

WVEPAH organizes its trainings in cooperation with well renowned universities ensuring an appropriate environment as well as logistical support adapted to the course. WVEPAH provides organizational and technical support on site in cooperation with the host Veterinary Faculty.

Following the training programs, the participating veterinarians have the possibility to pass the university examination of the “Certificate or Master in Animal Health: Poultry Production” awarded by the Luxemburg University and validated worldwide by OIE.

Briefly, the program requirements are as follows:

A Study length of about two years for the Certificate and four years for the Master consisting of: residential courses, distance learning between the courses, presentation of field work in the form of practical cases collected during their professional activity.

A minimum number of course hours and a certain amount of official training “credits” are required.

Courses will be validated by an examination and a participation certificate will be issued.

To acquire the desired degree participants are required to submit clinical case reports and a thesis.

Study Programs

Objective

Module I'General'

Module II'Specialized'

Module III 'Advanced'

Production and Management

Know and apply poultry production methods: day to day management; litter management; ventilation; lighting programs; temperature control; feed and water management; etc.

X

X

Evaluate the birds’ microenvironment in relation to flock health and welfare.

X

X

Know proper handling techniques for poultry species.

X

X

Know the basic economic concepts of poultry production

X

Apply the above in the context of extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive systems

X

X

X

Pathology

Have knowledge relating to mechanisms of disease causation for infectious and non-infectious diseases